''r///r/'     -     'yy./, 


Y'Y/ 


Donated  to 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

DAVIS 


THE 


Birds  of  Greenland, 


By  ANDEEAS  T.   HAGERUP. 


Cranglatrtu  from  tije  ©ante}) 


FRIMANN   B.  ARNGRIMSON. 


Edited  by  Montague  Chamberlain. 


BOSTON: 

LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND   COMPANY. 

1891. 


Copyright,  1891, 
By  Montague  Chamberlain. 


SRnfoersttj?  $rrss : 
•Ions  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambrtpoe. 


EDITOK'S  PBEFACE. 


HAVE  little  to  say  by  way  of  preface,  more 
than  to  thank  Mr.  Hagerup  for  permitting  my 
name  to  be  associated  with  the  American  edition 
of  his  work.  My  own  labor  upon  it  has  been  very 
light,  —  a  few  suggestions  to  author  and  translator, 
and  a  few  notes. 


M.    CHAMBERLAIN. 


Foxckoft  House, 

Cambridge,  Mass. 


PREFACE 


r  I  THROUGH  Mr.  Chamberlain's  kind  assistance 
-■-  there  was  published  in  "  The  Auk,"  Vol.  VI., 
Nos.  3  and  4,  an  article  on  the  birds  of  Ivigtut,  the 
result  of  my  observations  during  fifteen  months' 
residence  at  that  place. 

Since  that  article  was  written,  I  have  spent  an- 
other fifteen  months  in  the  same  locality,  and  have 
been  able  to  add  considerably  to  my  previous  notes. 
It  is  partly  because  of  this,  and  partly  because  a  few 
errors  crept  into  my  former  article, —  errors  due  to 
my  imperfect  knowledge  of  English  and  to  insuffi- 
cient mail  service  between  Greenland  and  the  North 
American  continent  (only  twice  a  year),  —  that  I 
have  expressed  the  wish  to  publish  as  complete  a 
description  of  the  birds  of  Ivigtut  as  my  two  and  a 
half  years'  residence  there  enables  me  to  write  ;  and 
with  characteristic  liberality  Mr.  Chamberlain  has 
undertaken  the  entire  responsibility  of  bringing  out 
an  American  edition.     At  his  request  I  have  also 


VI  PREFACE. 

compiled  from  published  and  unpublished  documents, 
and  other  sources,  a  catalogue  of  the  birds  that  have 
been  observed  in  Greenland. 

The  nomenclature  and  classification  I  have  fol- 
lowed is  that  adopted  by  the  American  Ornitholo- 
gists' Union.  * 

A!   T.   HAGERUP. 

Viborg,  Denmark. 


INTRODUCTION 


'TTIE  mining  town  of  Ivigtut  is  situated  on  the  south  side 
of  Arsuk  fjord  in  South  Greenland  (lat.  61°  15',  long. 
48°  10'),  and  about  ten  miles  distant  from  the  open  sea. 
This  fjord  is  about  twenty  miles  long  by  two  in  width,  and 
is  surrounded  by  cliffs  rising  one  thousand  to  two  thousand 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  —  one  peak,  Kunnak,  reach- 
ing forty-four  hundred  feet.  These  cliffs  are  here  and  there 
broken  by  small  valleys  diversified  by  thick  willow  bushes 
and  meadow  plots,  also  by  lakelets,  and  streams  that  teem 
with  trout.  On  the  uplands,  among  the  hills,  are  several 
lakes  of  varying  size ;  but  there  is  very  little  vegetation, 
while  the  interior  of  the  country  is  covered  with  eternal  ice. 
A  glacier  extends  down  into  Arsuk  fjord  and  forms  its 
inner  terminus. 

It  is  the  fjord  itself  that  at  all  seasons  is  the  chief  theatre 
of  animal  life.  Polar  bears,  brought  by  the  big  ice,  float  in 
occasionally  ;  whales,  even  three  or  four  kinds,  are  frequent 
visitors ;  and  seals,  which  form  the  principal  food-supply  of 
the  Eskimos,  are  abundant.  Close  to  where  the  ice  descends 
into  the  fjord  and  the  cliffs  are  steepest,  a  large  number  of 
Gulls  hatch  their  eggs  in  summer,  while  during  winter  the 
open  part  of  the  fjord  is  visited  by  large  flocks  of  Eider 
Ducks  and  Murres.     Other  swimmers  do  not  enter  so  far 


viii  INTRODUCTION. 

into  the  fjord,  but  remain  by  the  shore  of  the  open  sea,  so 
that  the  Eskimos  of  Arsuk,  which  is  about  ten  miles  from 
Ivigtut,  often  brought  a  large  number  of  birds  which  we, 
living  inland,  would  not  otherwise  have  seen. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  is  about  0°  Cent.,  or  a 
little  less;  and  the  whole  country  is  usually  covered  with 
snow  from  the  first  of  November  to  the  first  of  May.  The 
inner  half  of  the  fjord  freezes  over  in  November  or  the 
beginning  of  December,  and  is  not  free  of  ice  till  the  end 
of  May.  At  Ivigtut  the  ice  leaves  a  month  earlier.  The 
willow  bushes  are  out  in  leaf  at  the  close  of  June,  and  the 
leaves  fade  from  night  frost  about  the  10th  of  September. 

I  remained  at  Ivigtut  from  April  22, 1886,  to  October  17, 
1888. 


BIRDS    OF    1V1GTUT. 


LOON. 

URINATOR   IMBER. 


Quite  common,  as  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn. 
It  does  not  arrive  until  the  middle  of  May  (earliest  seen 
May  15),  but  remains  through  the  whole  season,  and 
sometimes  till  late  in  the  autumn.  Thus  I  noticed  one 
Nov.  18,  1887,  the  day  before  the  fjord  froze  over.  In 
the  spring  it  is  not  seen  on  the  fjord  until  the  beginning 
of  July,  and  hatches  here  very  late,  probably  because  the 
upland  lakes  are  not  yet  free  of  ice.  I  have  obtained 
from  the  Greenlanders  several  sets  of  eggs  in  July,  and 
two  sets  taken  in  August. 

RED-THROATED    LOON. 

URINATOR   LUMME. 

Common  in  the  innermost  part  of  the  fjord  during  the 
whole  summer.  On  the  21st  of  July,  1888,  I'found  one 
pair  with  their  young  upon  a  small  lake  seven  hundred 
feet  above  sea-level. 


10  BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT. 

PUFFIN. 
FRATERCULA   ARCTICA. 

An  old  bird  was  harpooned  at  Arsuk  on  the  15th  of 
July,  1887. 

BLACK    GUILLEMOT. 

CEPPHUS   GRYLLE. 

Very  common  throughout  the  year.  Breeds  in  colonies 
of  two  to  thirty  pair  among  the  precipitous  cliffs  along 
the  fjord,  during  the  middle  and  latter  part  of  June. 
There  is  considerable  variation  in  the  time  when  the  dif-, 
erent  individuals  moult.  In  April  some  have  donned  their 
summer  garb,  while  others  are  still  in  their  winter  clothing. 
On  the  13th  of  July  I  shot  one  which  already  had  gray 
feathers  among  the  black. 

BRUNNICH'S    MURRE. 

URIA   LOMVIA. 

A  winter  visitor,  —  the  last  seen  May  30,  1886  ;  the  first 
returning  seen  Nov.  9,  1886,  and  on  the  next  day  they 
were  common.  During  the  following  winter,  which  was 
very  cold,  these  birds  gathered  by  thousands  on  the  fjord. 
On  the  16th  of  April  they  were  still  numerous ;  but  on 
the  25th  of  that  month  most  of  them  had  gone.  Yet 
I  saw  on  the  4th  of  June  small  groups  of  from  two  to 
five  each,  and  on  the  20th  of  June  two  single  birds.  In 
the  winter  of  1887-88,  a  comparatively  mild  winter,  though 
the  fjord  remained  almost  completely  covered  with  ice,  I 
did  not  observe  any  of  this  species  until  the  27th  of  Decem- 
ber, and  then  only  a  few  single  individuals,  and  these  were 


BIRDS   OF  IVIGTUT.  11 

often  in  company  with  Black  Guillemots.  During  the  entire 
winter  there  were  only  a  few  small  flocks  to  be  seen  on  the 
fjord,  but  large  numbers  were  reported  wintering  at  Arsuk.- 
The  last  were  observed  at  Ivigtut  on  the  22d  of  May  in 
two  flocks  of  about  one  dozen  each.  As  Dr.  Oesterbye 
found  them  on  July  15,  1888,  at  the  so-called  "  bird-cliff  " 
of  Kangarsuk,  about  62°  N.,  it  may  be  that  they  breed 
there. 

RAZOR-BILLED   AUK. 
ALCA   TORDA. 

This  I  have  not  seen  at  Ivigtut ;  but,  according  to  Dr. 
Oesterbye,  about  five  hundred  pair  breed  at  the  above- 
named  "  bird-cliff,"  whence  I  obtained  its  eggs  and  a  skin. 

DOVEKIE. 

ALLE  ALLE. 

A  winter  visitor,  not  common  at  Ivigtut,  but  at  times 
abundant  about  Arsuk.  In  the  fall  of  1886,  it  arrived  at 
the  same  time  as  Briinnich's  Murre,  with  which  it  often 
associates.  One  day  sixty-five  Murres  ancfr  two  Dovekies 
were  shot  from  the  edge  of  the  ice,  —  which  gives  approxi- 
mately their  relative  numbers.  In  1888  no  Dovekies  were 
seen  about  Arsuk  after  the  close  of  March. 

PARASITIC   JAEGER. 

STEKCORARITJS    PARASITICUS. 

Two  examples  —  one  a  dark  bird,  the  other  with  a  light- 
colored  body  —  were  often  seen  in  the  summer  of  1888  over 
the  fjord,  hunting  the  Kittiwakes.  They  probably  had  a 
nest  in  the  neighborhood. 


j.j  BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT. 

IVORY  G-ULL. 
GAVIA   ALBA. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  during  a  southeast  rainstorm,  I  ob- 
served one  on  the  fjord  among  the  Kittiwakes.  Formerly 
quite  a  number  were  shot  about  Ivigtut.  I  obtained  two 
skins  of  old  birds  and  one  of  a  young  bird,  all  taken  near 
Ivigtut  some  few  years  ago. 

KITTIWAKE. 

RISSA   TRLDACTYLA. 

I  saw  examples  of  this  species  about  the  vessel  every  day 
during  my  voyage  from  the  Shetland  Islands  to  Greenland. 

The  arrival  of  these  birds  at  Ivigtut  and  their  departure 
was  noticed  as  follows :  In  1886,  last  seen  October  23,  a 
few.  In  1887,  first  seen,  March  26,  a  large  flock ;  last 
seen,  October  25,  a  few.  In  1888,  first  seen,  April  9,  a  large 
flock  ;  at  my  departure,  October  17,  still  common. 

From  their  arrival  till  the  middle  of  May  they  keep  to- 
gether in  one  or  more  large  flocks,  and  are  then  very  timid 
and  noisy.  This  is,  perhaps,  because  the  fjord  is  to  a  great 
extent  covered  with  ice,  so  that  their  nesting-ground  lies 
eight  to  ten  miles  from  open  water.  On  clear  days  in  April 
a  flock  of  some  two  thousand  may  be  seen  rising  to  a  great 
height,  say  three  thousand  to  four  thousand  feet,  sometimes 
going  out  of  sight,  so  that  one  can  only  hear  their  screech- 
ing as  they  rapidly  wheel  about.  They  are  then  wont  to 
make  an  excursion  inland,  above  the  ice,  toward  their 
breeding-place.  On  returning,  they  descend  somewhat  more 
scattered ;  but  at  once  on  reaching  the  water,  they  gather 
close  together.  These  exercises  they  often  go  through  many 
times  a  day 


BIRDS   OF  IVIGTUT.  13 

Iii  May  they  assemble  in  smaller  flocks,  and  are  less  shy. 
About  two  thousand  lay  their  eggs  on  the  front  of  a  perpen- 
dicular cliff  situated  at  the  head  of  the  fjord.  The  lowest 
nests  may  easily  be  reached  from  a  boat ;  the  highest  are 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  sea.  The  eggs 
are  laid  chiefly  during  the  first  ten  days  of  June,  and  the 
young  fly  from  their  nests  about  the  middle  of  August. 
(The  earliest  date  on  which  I  have  seen  a  young  bird  is  the 
7th  of  August.)  After  that  they  generally  go  about  in 
small  flocks  or  singly,  and  keep  comparatively  silent.  On 
a  few  occasions  only,  on  August  afternoons,  I  have  seen 
large  flocks  of  five  hundred  to  one  thousand  individuals  rise 
to  a  great  height  and  fly  toward  the  ocean. 

During  the  autumn  these  Gulls  have  a  daily  route,  —  in  the 
morning,  inland  along  the  fjord,  and  in  the  afternoon  out 
along  the  fjord  toward  the  sea,  where  they  probably  remain 
over  night.  This  is  directly  opposite  to  the  custom  of  the 
Eider  Duck  in  winter,  and  of  the  large  young  Gulls  in  sum- 
mer ;  these  fly  up  the  fjord  —  inland  —  as  night  approaches. 
Some  days,  especially  when  rain  is  falling  and  the  wind  is 
high,  they  fly  rather  near  the  shore  ;  but  usually  not  nearer 
than  five  hundred  feet.  Only  twice  have  I  seen  them,  sitting 
on  land,  except  at  their  nests.  On  one  occasion  \  saw  a 
single  bird,  probably  a  sick  one,  alight  on  the  shore ;  and 
again,  on  the  3d  of  June,  I  saw  a  number  of  Gulls  plucking 
moss  on  the  cliffs  along  the  fjord,  about  nine  miles  distant 
from  their  nesting-ground,  and  then  fly  about  without  any 
apparent  object,  holding  the  moss  in  their  bills.  What  they 
meant  by  this  I  could  not  understand,  for  there  was  plenty 
of  moss  in  the  neighborhood  of  their  nests. 

During  June  the  Gulls  feed  to  a  great  extent  on  a  small 
fish  QMallotus  arcticus*)  which  comes  to  the  surface  in  vast 
numbers.    They  also  follow  whales  and  seals.    By  throwing 


14  BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT. 

a  dead  or  wounded  Gull  out  of  a  boat,  they  may  easily  be 
brought  within  shooting  distance. 


GLAUCOUS   GULL 

LARUS  GLAUCUS. 

This  species  breeds  in  considerable  numbers  along  the 
open  sea;  and  probably,  also,  high  up  on  the  "  bird-cliff" 
at  the  head  of  the  fjord,  —  above  the  nests  of  Larus  leucop- 
terus.  Some,  chiefly  young  birds,  remain  over  winter.  An 
old  bird,  in  a  complete  summer  dress,  was  shot  on  the  20th 
of  March.  I  have  seen  these  Gulls  enter,  uninvited,  among 
the  Eider  Ducks,  and  try  to  rob  them  of  mussels  that  they 
had  brought  up  from  the  bottom.  After  the  young  leave 
their  nests  in  August,  they  gather  on  the  flat  tracts  along 
the  shore,  and  feed  on  the  berries  of  Empetrum  nigrum ,  of 
which  they  consume  a  vast  quantity.  At  this  time  the 
young  birds  are  by  no  means  shy,  while  the  old  birds  are 
always  difficult  to  approach. 

ICELAND   GULL. 
LARUS   LEUCOPTERUS. 

A  number  of  young  birds,  and  some  few  old  ones,  re- 
main during  the  winter,  but  the  majority  leave  in  October 
and  return  in  March.  About  a  thousand  pair  nest  on  the 
•<  bird-cliff,''  above  the  Kittiwakes.  The  lowest  nests  are 
built  at  a  height  of  about  two  hundred  feet ;  the  highest  at 
about  five  hundred  feet  above  sea-level.  In  1888  a  single 
pair  hatched  their  young  away  from  the  rest,  on  the  face  of 
the  cliff,  close  by  the  edge  of  the  ice,  and  at  the  height  of 
forty  feet.  Two  pair  raised  their  young,  during  the  three 
summers  I  was  in  Greenland,  on  a  cliff  which  was  formerly 


BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT.  15 

the  home  of  numerous  Kittiwakes.  One  of  these  nests  was 
at  the  height  of  fifteen  feet,  the  other  one  hundred  feet  above 
sea-level. 

These  Gulls  often  lay  their  eggs  while  the  fjord  below  is 
still  covered  with  ice.  Some  few  young  fly  from  their  nests 
at  the  close  of  July.  The  earliest  date  that  I  have  seen 
young  birds  was  on  July  25,  but  the  main  body  did  not  ap- 
pear until  the  earlier  part  of  August.  For  a  while  after  leav- 
ing the  nests,  they  are  accompanied  by  one  of  the  parents,  or 
by  both,  and  these  give  warning  in  a  wise  and  unmistakable 
manner ;  "  Don't  go  near  those  treacherous  boats,"  they 
seem  to  cry.  Later  on  the  young  mingle  with  the  young 
of  the  Glaucous  Gull,  but  not  with  young  Kittiwakes. 

The  young  Iceland  Gulls  feed  on  the  berries  of  Umpetrum 
nigrum,  rest  frequently  on  land  or  on  the  ice,  and  are  not 
at  all  timid.  In  voice  and  habits  the  young  birds  quite  re- 
semble young  Glaucous  Gulls.  When  at  the  nesting-ground 
the  old  birds  utter  a  cry  resembling  kee  in  a  loud  harsh 
tone. 

GREAT  BLACK-BACKED  GULL. 

LARUS    MARINUS. 

Found  in  very  small  numbers  at  all  seasons  of  the  year, 
but  most  numerous  in  the  fall.  Old,  faded  birds  are  but 
rarely  seen.     As  a  rule  these  Gulls  are  extremely  shy. 

FULMAR. 

FULMARUS   GLACIALIS. 

Occurs  at  times  in  great  numbers  a  few  miles  off  the 
coast,  and  is  said  to  enter  the  fjord  occasionally.  On  my 
voyages  to  and  from  Greenland  they  were  seen  daily  in 
greater  or  less  numbers,  all  the  way  from  the  Shetland 


16  BIHDS   OF  IVIGTUT. 

Islands  to  within  a  few  miles  of  Greenland.  They  fed  on 
meat  and  other  refuse  thrown  from  the  vessel.  I  observed 
that  they  always  alighted  on  the  water  before  taking  the 
food,  and  if  it  had  sunk  under  the  surface,  they  would  dive 
for  it  to  the  depth  of  about  two  feet.  By  means  of  a  line  I 
caught  one,  which  I  kept  on  board  for  about  ten  days,  during 
which  time  it  took  no  food  to  my  knowledge. 

As  we  sighted  Greenland  I  saw  the  largest  flock,  and 
among  these  were  a  large  number  that  were  dark-colored, 
of  which  I  had  seen  but  few  previously  on  the  voyage.  On 
the  stretch  between  36°  and  20°  W.  there  was  among  these 
Fulmars  a  number  of  Shearwaters,  which  I  supposed  to  be 
Puffinus  puffinus. 

LEACH'S  PETREL. 
OCEANODROMA   LEUCORHOA. 

Is  said  to  have  been  seen  occasionally  near  Arsuk. 
CORMORANT. 

PHALACROCORAX   CARBO. 

Not  uncommon  about  Arsuk  in  winter  until  the  end  of 
April,  but  seldom  goes  as  far  into  the  fjord  as  Ivigtut.  Its 
skin  is  much  prized  by  furriers. 

RED-BREASTED   MERGANSER. 

MERGANSER   SERRATOR. 

Common  during  the  spring  migration,  but  is  also  met 
with  during  the  winter.  I  have  known  of  examples  being 
shot  in  November,  December,  and  February.  These  birds 
are  generally  found  singly,  though  sometimes  two  or  three 
are  together. 


BIRDS   OF  IVIGTUT.  17 

As  I  have  several  times  seen  it  about  Ivigtut  in  summer, 
I  suppose  it  nests  in  that  neighborhood. 


MALLARD. 

ANAS  BOSCHAS. 

Common  the  whole  year  round,  but  most  numerous  in 
winter,  when  they  keep  in  small  flocks  along  the  shore. 
One  or  two  pair  breed  in  the  swampy  portion  of  the  valley 
near  Ivigtut.  Nests  with  eggs  were  found  June  27,  1886, 
and  May  31,  1888.  Two  ducklings  a  few  days  old  were 
caught  June  26,  1887,  early  in  the  morning,  one  in  the 
village,  the  other  in  the  harbor.  The  mother  had  probably 
brought  them  along  a  small  river  that  flows  through  the 
town. 

The  eggs  of  the  Greenland  Mallard  are  considerably 
larger  than  those  of  the  Danish  bird ;  the  former  measure 
60  mm.  by  44  mm. ;  the  latter  56  mm.  by  41  mm. 

BARROW'S   GOLDEN-EYE. 

Gl^AUCIONETTA   ISLANDICA. 

A  male  was  shot  at  Ivigtut  March  23, 1887,  and  the  same 
year,  on  April  12,  I  observed  two  males  and  one  female. 
It  must  be  rare  in  these  parts,  as  neither  Danes  nor  Green- 
landers  know  it. 

OLD    SQUAW. 

CLANGULA   HYEMALIS. 

Very  common  about  Arsuk  from  October  to  the  end 
of  April,  but  shows  itself  only  rarely  on  the  fjord  near 
Ivigtut. 


18  BIRDS   OF  IVIGTUT. 

HARLEQUIN   DUCK. 

HISTBIONICTJS   HISTRIONICTJS. 

Breeds  in  several  places.  Arrives  in  lApril  and  remains 
until  early  in  November  (Nov.  5,  1887).  On  August  28, 
I  observed  half-grown  young  on  the  fjord.  During  summer 
the  males  gather  in  small  flocks  on  the  fjord. 

NORTHERN   EIDER. 

SOMATEBIA   MOLLISSIMA   BOREAUS. 

Breeds  in  great  numbers  on  the  islets  by  the  open  sea. 
In  the  winter  great  flocks  gather  on  the  fjord  near  Ivigtut. 
In  June,  1886,  I  observed  in  the  course  of  an  hour  between 
five  hundred  and  a  thousand  Eiders  on  the  fjord  in  flocks  of 
about  fifty.  Each  flock  consisted  chiefly  of  females,  accom- 
panied by  a  few  males.  In  the  evening  they  went  up  the 
fjord  as  in  winter,  but  did  not  go  as  far  inland.  The  two 
following  summers  I  observed  a  few  times  smaller  compa- 
nies of  females  and  an  occasional  male  on  the  fjord. 

Holboll  also  met  with  flocks  of  unmated  birds  in  summer, 
far  from  their  nesting-sites,  and  observed  that  the  two  sexes 
generally  kept  separate  from  each  other;  also,  that  there 
were  more  flocks  of  males  than  of  females,  and  that  in  the 
beginning  of  the  breeding-season  these  flocks  were  of  small 
size.  From  this  he  concluded  that  these  flocks  consisted  of 
birds  which  had  either  lost  their  mates  or  their  young. 

My  observations  during  the  summers  of  1887  and  1888 
might  indeed  go  to  strengthen  Holboll's  hypothesis,  but  it 
does  not  seem  to  me  that  the  mere  presence  of  numbers 
of  these  Ducks  on  the  fjord  at  a  great  distance  from  their 
breeding-ground  in  the  beginning  of  the  season  of  1886 
need  necessarily  be  due  to  the  causes  suggested  by  Holboll. 


BIRDS   OF  IVIGTUT.  19 

I  am  rather  inclined  to  believe  that  their  nesting  was  de- 
layed that  year  by  the  big  ice  which  then  enclosed  some  of 
their  principal  resorts  as  late  as  June. 

In  October,  1886,  the  females  began  to  come  into  the 
fjord  singly,  and  in  November  they  came  in  small  flocks. 
As  the  weather  grew  colder  the  number  increased,  and  it 
became  still  larger  after  Christmas,  the  period  of  greatest 
abundance  being  March  and  April.  The  males  did  not  come 
in  as  great  numbers  into  the  fjord  that  winter.  I  saw,  in- 
deed, none  at  Ivigtut  until  March,  while  they  were  quite 
numerous  at  Christmas  of  the  following  year. 

In  the  evening  these  birds  generally  go  as  far  inland  as 
there  is  open  water,  and  during  the  night  they  are  almost 
constantly  on  the  move.  Then  their  cries  may  be  plainly 
heard,  as  also  their  splashing  near  the  shore ;  but  if  a 
match  be  lit,  they  fly  aloft  with  a  great  uproar. 

KING  EIDER. 

SOMATERIA    SPECTABILIS. 

An  example  of  this  species  was  first  observed  by  me  on 
Feb.  1,  1887.  By  the  12th  of  that  month  they  had  arrived 
in  great  numbers ;  and  from  the  middle  of  the  month  until 
the  middle  of  March  they  were  even  more  numerous  than 
the  common  Eider  Ducks  ;  but  from  that  time  on  spectabilis 
decreased,  while  borealis  increased.  By  the  middle  of  April 
there  were  but  few  King  Eiders  left,  and  the  last  obtained 
was  shot  on  the  29th  of  that  month. 

In  habits  the  present  species  much  resembles  borealis,  but 
seeks  rather  deeper  water,  and  is  oftener  seen  resting  in  a 
standing  posture  on  the  brink  of  the  ice.  Its  only  note  is  a 
single  cooing  sound,  heard  especially  at  night.  Like  the 
common  Eider,  these  birds  are  very  shy  and  difficult  to  shoot. 


20  BIRDS  OF  1VIGTU1. 

The  easiest  method  of  getting  within  shooting  distance  of  a 
flock  is  by  hiding  behind  a  snow-bank,  near  the  edge  of  the 
ice,  where  they  congregate. 


PURPLE   SANDPIPER. 

TRINGA   MARITIMA. 

Common  on  the  shores  of  Arsuk  fjord  from  the  beginning 
of  October  throughout  the  winter.  As  I  have  observed  some 
examples  in  the  same  locality  during  summer,  they  may 
have  nested  in  the  vicinity. 


PECTORAL   SANDPIPER. 

TRINGA   MACULATA. 

In  the  autumn  of  1886  I  obtained  one  skin  of  this  species, 
that  had  been  taken  at  Frederickshaab.  It  is  now  in  the 
zoological  museum  at  Copenhagen. 

WHIMBREL. 

NUMENIUS   PKEOPUS. 

One  was  shot  at  Arsuk  May  25, 1887  ;  I  also  obtained  the 
skin  of  one  shot  at  Ivigtut  a  few  years  before. 

AMERICAN  GOLDEN  PLOVER. 

CHARADRIUS   DOMINICTTS. 

I  obtained  the  skin  of  one  shot  at  Frederickshaab  in  the 
autumn  of  1886,  and  gave  it  to  the  zoological  museum  at 
Copenhagen. 


BIRDS   OF  IVIGTUT.  21 

RING  PLOVER. 

AEGIALITIS  HIATICULA. 

Examples  of  this  species  were  seen  on  Aug.  15,  1886, 
beside  a  lake  at  the  height  of  eleven  hundred  feet. 

REINHARDT'S   PTARMIGAN. 

LAGOPUS  RTJPESTKIS   REINHARDTI. 

Breeds  usually  about  Ivigtut.  During  winter  the  number 
is  considerably  increased  by  the  birds  coming  from  the  north, 
but  the  abundance  is  very  variable.  Thus  the  first  winter 
I  was  at  Ivigtut,  an  uncommonly  cold  season,  comparatively 
few  were  seen,  though  about  four  hundred  were  shot;  but 
the  following  winter,  which  was  much  milder,  the  birds 
were  much  more  numerous,  and  about  twice  as  many  were 
killed.  When  snow  covers  the  ground  they  are  less  fre- 
quent in  the  valleys  than  on  the  mountain  slopes  and  in  the 
clefts ;  but  on  the  high  lands  they  are  not  so  numerous. 
They  usually  resort  to  side  hills,  where  there  are  large 
bowlders,  and  where  some  herbs  are  easily  accessible. 
They  change  their  feeding-ground  very  often,  and  some- 
times in  the  course  of  a  single  night  they  arrive  in  such 
numbers  that  on  the  following  day  the  birds  or  their  tracks 
may  be  seen  everywhere,  while  at  other  times  one  may 
travel  for  days  without  seeing  any  sign  of  one. 

Usually,  and  especially  in  calm  weather,  these  birds  are 
far  from  shy ;  only  in  windy  weather  is  it  sometimes  diffi- 
cult to  approach  them  within  shot-range. 

They  usually  are  met  with  in  small  flocks  of  six  or  so,  and 
often  none  but  a  single  bird  or  a  pair  are  in  sight.  I  think 
the  largest  flock  I  ever  saw  numbered  but  thirteen.  When 
the  snow  is  soft,  they  often  dig  tunnels,  in  which  they  pass 


22  BIRDS   OF  IVIGTUT. 

the  night.  Twice  it  happened  that  Ptarmigans  came  from, 
across  the  ice-covered  fjord  in  the  morning,  and  alighted  on 
the  roofs  of  the  houses,  where  of  course  they  were  shot. 

It  is  very  interesting  to  see  a  flock  of  Ptarmigans  walking 
about  in  the  snow,  and  with  subdued  murmurs  hunting  for 
food.  They  generally  sit  still  while  one  approaches  them, 
trusting,  no  doubt,  that  their  white  coat  will  protect  them 
from  being  discovered ;  but  their  black  bills  and  dark  eyes, 
and  the  black  stripe  on  the  males,  render  them  quite  con- 
spicuous. Several  times  when  I  have  come  upon  them  in 
summer  they  have  retreated  to  the  nearest  snow-field, 
apparently  forgetting  that  they  wore  their  winter  costume 
no  longer.  They  often  let  their  voice  be  heard,  and  then  the 
males  and  the  females  may  be  distinguished. 

The  females  do  not  don  their  summer  dress  until  June, 
and  the  males  much  later,  —  perhaps  more  than  a  month. 
On  the  1st  of  July  they  were  still  half-white ;  and  on  the 
20th  of  July  I  saw  a  male  that  was  white  on  the  breast. 
By  the  20th  of  September  both  sexes  are  about  half-white 
and  half-gray,  and  when  October  closes  most  of  them  are 
attired  in  their  winter  costume.  The  old  birds  regain  their 
winter  color  earlier  than  do  the  younger. 

Three  times  I  found  female  Ptarmigans  with  their  young 
in  the  month  of  July.  On  the  20th  of  July  I  found  one  at 
the  height  of  thirteen  hundred  feet,  with  her  young  yet  quite 
small.  The  mother  was  exceedingly  anxious  about  her 
brood,  and  ran  so  close  to  my  feet  that  I  could  easily 
have  struck  her  with  my  walking-stick.  The  chicks  ran 
away  faster  than  I  could  have  walked,  and  seemed  to  have 
a  surprisingly  good  idea  of  how  to  hide  themselves,  although 
there  was  really  nothing  to  cover  them.  The  cries  of  the 
mother  were  of  a  guttural  tone,  while  the  piping  of  the 
young  resembled  that  of  some  chickens.     The  same  day 


BIRDS   OF  IVIGTUT.  23 

I  met  a  pair  whose  actions  suggested  that  they  had  lost 
their  young. 

On  the  26th  and  the  29th  of  July  I  saw  two  female  Ptar- 
migans with  their  broods  at  the  height  of  a  hundred  feet  and 
a  thousand  feet  respectively.  One  brood  was  half  grown, 
the  other  somewhat  older. 

GRAY   SEA   EAGLE. 

HALI^ETUS   ALBICILLA. 

Common,  nesting  in  all  suitable  places.  It  is  most  numer- 
ous in  winter,  especially  when  north  winds  prevail.  On  one 
occasion  I  saw  twelve  Eagles  and  again  fourteen  on  the  fjord. 
I  frequently  observed  them  pursuing  my  Doves,  though  these 
did  not  seem  to  fear  their  pursuers,  but  would  rather  tanta- 
lize them  by  circling  around  them.  On  one  occasion  one  of 
these  Eagles  tried  to  get  some  liver 'which  was  being  trolled 
after  a  boat,  as  bait  for  Gulls.  As  it  did  so,  a  shot  was  fired 
at  it,  but  it  escaped  unhurt.  A  short  time  after  it  came 
again,  and  had  then  to  pay  with  its  life  for  the  foolhardy 
venture.  Usually,  however,  they  are  very  shy  and  difficult 
of  approach.  I  secured  two  clutches  of  two  eggs  each  ;  and 
on  the  20th  of  July  some  natives  took  from  a  nest  an  almost 
full-fledged  eaglet,  which  was  fed  on  fish  for  some  time. 

WHITE  GYRFALCON. 

FALCO   ISLANDUS. 

GRAY   GYRFALCON. 

FALCO    RUSTICOLUS. 

I  have  examined  about  thirty  skins  of  the  Greenland  Gyr- 
falcon,  —  some  of  them  in  the  meat,  —  all  shot  in  South 


•2\  BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT. 

Greenland,  and  have  thus  had  an  opportunity  to  decide  with 
tolerable  certainty  to  which  of  the  species  they  belonged. 
The  distinguishing  characteristics  adopted  by  Mr.  Ridgway 
in  his  Manual  cannot,  in  my  opinion,  be  considered  reliable. 
One  specimen,  which  by  its  general  color  was  certainly  of 
the  white  form,  had  the  under  tail-coverts  slightly  marked 
by  dusky  spots,  and  this  specimen,  as  well  as  about  half  the 
other  white  Falcons,  had  dark  spots  on  their  thighs,  while  an 
occasional  bird  had  almost  as  dark  color  on  the  thighs  and 
ventral  region  as  F.  rusticolus.  As  Holboll  and  Fencker 
repeatedly  observed  mated  pairs,  one  of  which  was  white 
(F.  island  icus),  and  the  other  dark  (jP.  rusticolus},  and  as 
Holboll  also  found  light  and  dark  colored  young  in  the  same 
nest,  I  conclude  with  these  observers  that  there  is  but  one 
species  of  Gyrfalcon  found  in  Greenland ;  that  the  light- 
colored  birds  breed  chiefly  in  North  Greenland,  while  the 
dark  birds  are  chiefly  restricted  to  South  Greenland ;  and, 
further,  I  believe  that  the  two  forms  are  related  much  in 
the  same  way  as  those  of  the  Fulmarice,  some  forms  of 
Stereorarius,  and  the  mammalian  Ccrnus  lagopus.  I  have  in 
my  possession  the  skins  of  two  white  female  Gyrfalcons  shot 
during  the  breeding-season  in  April  and  May  at  Fredericks- 
haab,  in  South  Greenland. 

Besides,  it  seems  to  me  unfortunate  that  these  forms 
should  be  ranked  as  species  merely  on  the  strength  of  data 
furnished  by  dried  skins,  without  taking  the  habits  and 
other  characteristics  of  the  living  birds  into  consideration. 
Especially  do  Mr.  Holboll' s  observations  seem  to  me  valu- 
able in  settling  this  question. 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  result  of  my  observations 
of  the  Gyrfalcon  during  my  stay  in  Greenland.  It  is  divided 
into  three  columns,  the  first  giving  the  number  of  white 
birds  observed,  the  second  the  number  of  those  whose  color 


BIRDS   OF  IVfGTUT. 


25 


I  was  not  able  to  determine,  while  the  third  column  gives 
the  number  of  the  gray-colored  birds. 


1886. 

1887. 

1888. 

White. 

Undet. 

Gray. 

White. 

Undet. 

Gray. 

White. 

Undet. 

Gray. 

January      .     . 
February    . 
March    .     .     . 
April      .     .     . 
May  .... 
June  .     .     . 
July   .     .     . 
August  .     . 
September 
October 
November  . 
December  . 

4 

12-16 

1 

2-3 

1 

1 

1 

8 
2 

1 
6 
6 
1 

2 

2 

1 

1 

2 
1 
1 

2 
1 

3 
2 

2 

10 

2 
1 

1 

1 
1 

1 

1 
1 

1 

1 
1 

That  their  abundance  in  winter  varies  with  the  weather 
I  am  not  in  a  position  to  decide,  but  think  that  more  prob- 
ably depends  on  the  number  and  the  movements  of  the  Ptar- 
migans, their  principal  food  at  that  season. 

In  the  winter  I  used  to  take  my  Pigeons  out  every  day, 
so  that  when  Falcons  came  in  sight  I  might  induce  them  to 
come  within  shooting-range ;  but  I  have  to  confess  that, 
owing  to  their  great  swiftness,  I  much  oftener  missed  than 
hit  them.  The  young  Pigeons  sought  security  almost  any- 
where, even  in  the  sitting-room  ;  but  the  old  birds  often 
tried  to  escape  by  rising  in  the  air,  sometimes  flying  so 
high  that  both  Pigeon  and  Falcon  were  for  a  time  lost  to 
sight ;  and  so  swift  and  skilled  on  the  wing  were  they  that 
I  did  not  lose  a  single  Pigeon.     Occasionally  the  Falcons 

4 


26  BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT. 

tried  to  catch  a  Pigeon  that  was  sitting  on  the  roof  of  the 
house,  bat  always  in  vain.  On  the  other  hand  the  Falcons 
themselves  were  at  times  worried  by  Ravens,  but  neither 
party  seemed  ever  to  be  in  real  earnest. 

Once  a  Falcon  was  attracted  by  the  report  of  my  gun  as  I 
shot  a  Ptarmigan,  and  I  brought  him  within  shot- range  by 
throwing  the  dead  Ptarmigan  into  the  air.  At  another  time 
I  observed  a  white  Falcon  sitting  at  some  distance  from  a 
dark  Falcon,  that  was  making  his  repast  on  a  sea- fowl,  and 
tfhen  the  dark  Falcon  flew  away  with  his  prey  the  white  one 
followed,  evidently  hoping  to  obtain  a  portion. 

I  have  at  various  times  heard  these  birds  utter  somewhat 
weak  and  tremulous  cries,  resembling  sounds  I  have  heard 
from  Falco  tinnuncnlus. 

In  summer  the  present  species  is  less  frequently  seen 
near  the  settlements  in  the  vicinity  of  Ivigtut ;  but  it  nests 
nevertheless  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  "  bird-cliff."  On 
the  3d  of  June,  1886,  there  was  shot  a  dark  Falcon,  with  a 
naked  spot  on  the  ventral  side,  and  in  its  stomach  were 
found  the  remains  of  a  Ptarmigan. 

From  Frederickshaab  I  obtained  a  set  of  eggs  said  to 
have  been  gathered  on  the  16th  of  April,  while  the  ground 
was  under  a  mantle  of  snow. 

Measured  transversely,  the  white  and  the  gray  Falcons 
are  of  about  the  same  size ;  namely,  59  to  60  cm.  long,  on 
the  average.  The  largest  I  measured  was  62  cm.  long  and 
133  cm.  broad,  and  weighed  1.8  kilogram.  The  smallest, 
a  gray  specimen,  was  51.5  cm.  long,  102  cm.  broad,  and 
weighed  0.9  kilogram  ;  and  a  white  bird  measured  about 
the  same  length. 

[The  observations  recorded  here  suggest  that  the  gray 
and  white  forms  of  the  Greenland  Gyrfalcons  are  merely 
individual  differences,  —  phases  of  plumage,  —  instead  of 


BIRDS   OF   IVIGTUT.  27 

being  specific,  as  assumed  by  many  systematists.  The  mat- 
ing of  gray  and  white  birds,  and  the  occurrence  of  young 
birds  of  both  colors  in  one  nest,  certainly  point  in  that 
direction. 

If,  however,  as  Mr.  Hagerup  thinks,  the  white-colored 
birds  are  mainly  found  in  summer  in  North  Greenland, 
while  those  breeding  in  the  southern  section  usually  wear 
the  darker  plumage,  then  the  two  might  be  ranked  as  geo- 
graphical races. 

The  suggestions  are  interesting,  but  the  evidence  offered 
is  too  slight  to  assist  materially  in  solving  the  problem  that 
these  birds  present  to  scientific  ornithologists.  —  M.  C] 


DUCK   HAWK. 

FALCO    PEREGRINTJS   ANATUM. 

I  have  not  seen  a  single  living  example  of  this  species  at 
Ivigtut,  only  the  skin  of  one  shot  a  few  years  ago.  From 
Frederickshaab  I  obtained  the  skins  of  two  young  birds  shot 
in  the  fall  of  1886,  also  the  skin  of  an  adult  female  shot 
April  21, 1888,  at  her  nest,  which  contained  two  eggs.  Be- 
sides this  I  obtained  one  egg  taken  on  the  1st  of  May, 
1888. 

This  species  is  said  to  be  much  more  dangerous  to  the. 
Pigeons  than  is  the  Gyrfalcon. 


SNOWY   OWL, 

NYCTEA   NYCTEA. 

A  rare  winter  visitor.  In  January,  1886,  a  fine  Owl  al- 
most wholly  white  was  taken.  When  wounded  it  attacked 
the  man  who  shot  it. 


>  BIRDS   OF   IVIGTUT. 

NORTHERN   RAVEN. 

CORVUS   CORAX   PRINCIPALIS. 

Very  common  all  the  year  round ;  seen  and  heard  daily 
along  the  coast. 

From  August  to  October  they  gather  in  flocks,  sometimes 
as  many  as  thirty,  or  in  families.  About  this  time  they  feed 
largely  on  the  berries  of  Empetrum  nigrum,  of  which  they 
consume  a  great  quantity.    , 

Often  one  Raven  or  more  would  attend  the  Eagles,  as  they 
sat  on  the  ice  devouring  their  prey,  and  would  even  make  it 
unpleasant  for  the  latter. 

At  first  the  Ravens  tried  to  pursue  my  Pigeons,  but  they 
soon  gave  that  up  as  useless.  On  one  occasion,  however,  a 
Raven  pursued  a  Pigeon  with  surprising  perseverance.  At 
last  1  lost  sight  of  both,  and  never  saw  the  Pigeon  again. 

The  Ravens  often  give  the  trappers  considerable  trouble, 
for  they  are  cunning  enough  to  take  the  bait  out  of  the  fox- 
trap  and  get  their  head  out  of  the  way  before  the  trap  falls 
upon  them.  But  occasionally  they  lose  their  heads  in  the 
trap.  I  once  caught  a  Raven  instead  of  a  fox  in  one  of  those 
old-fashioned  stone-traps  in  which  a  piece  of  board  loaded 
with  a  stone  falls  as  soon  as  the  bait  is  touched,  and  crushes 
the  victim.  They  are  very  noisy  and  curious,  and  if  one 
stands  still  on  the  mountain-cliffs,  especially  if  he  has  a  dog 
with  liim,  the  Ravens  will  often  come  close  to  him,  within 
easy  shooting-distance. 

I  frequently  noticed  that  when  a  strong  wind  blew  from 
the  north  they  migrated  in  great  numbers  toward  the  south. 
The  largest  of  these  migrations  took  place  August  30, 1887, 
when  one  hundred  to  two  hundred  crossed  the  valley.  They 
were  seen  through  the  entire  day  coming  from  the  north  side 
of  the  fjord,  flying  low  over  it,  stopping  a  little  at  the  south 


BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT.  29 

shore,  then  crossing  the  valley  until  they  reached  the  moun- 
tains. At  the  base  of  the  hills  they  first  began  to  rise  in  the 
air,  working  upwards  in  spiral  curves  without  any  flapping 
of  wings,  until  abreast  of  the  summit,  when  they  sailed  away 
to  the  south. 

They  are  usually  found  almost  everywhere  ;  soaring  above 
the  fjord ;  walking  along  the  shore ;  about  the  houses ;  up 
on  the  highlands,  where  no  means  of  subsistence  is  appar- 
ent,—  even  many  miles  in  the  interior,  above  the  lifeless 
mer-de-glace. 

I  saw  nests  at  different  heights,  ranging  from  twenty  to 
one  thousand  feet  above  sea-level,  on  inaccessible  cliffs  fac- 
ing the  fjord  near  Ivigtut. 

At  Frederickshaab  I  obtained  four  sets  of  three  to  four 
eggs  each.  These  were  taken  between  the  11th  and  the 
28th  of  April.  I  think  it  builds  among  the  earliest  of  any 
species  found  in  that  region.  On  the  19th  of  June  I  saw 
some  full-fledged  young  close  by  the  "  bird-cliff,"  where  the 
parents  most  likely  fed  them. 

GREATER  REDPOLL. 

ACANTHIS   LINARIA   ROSTRATA. 

The  most  numerous  of  the  smaller  birds  found  in  the 
vicinity  of  Ivigtut.  In  1886  it  was  first  observed  on  May  6, 
and  was  common  on  May  17.  On  September  24  the  major- 
ity had  migrated  southward,  though  a  few  were  met  with 
now  and  then  during  October.  On  the  26th  of  October, 
when  the  country  was  covered  with  snow  a  foot  deep,  three 
or  four  were  seen,  but  none  were  seen  during  November. 
On  the  5th  of  December,  however,  one  was  discovered,  and 
on  the  8th  five  or  six  appeared,  and  of  the  latter  some  wore 
red  on  the  breast.     On  the  following  day  I  saw  two  in  the 


30  BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT. 

same  place,  hunting  for  food  among  a  few  bushes  that  pro- 
jected above  the  snow  along  the  edge  of  the  fjord,  which  at 
that  time  was  covered  with  ice. 

In  1887,  the  first  were  seen  on  April  24,  and  on  April  30 
a  few  single  individuals,  besides  three  together  flying  toward 
west-northwest,  about  one  hundred  feet  high.  On  the  6th 
of  May  several  appeared  in  the  valley,  and  by  the  10th  of  the 
same  month,  they  were  common.  By  September  28,  most  of 
the  flock  had  migrated,  but  a  few  were  seen  in  October,  and 
one  on  November  21. 

In  1888  one  with  a  red  breast  was  seen  on  the  27th  of 
January,  and  one  on  the  4th  of  February.  The  latter  were 
seen  in  the  same  bushes  where  I  had  found  those  on  the 
8th  and  9th  of  December,  1886,  and,  as  then,  the  weather 
was  mild  and  the  whole  country  covered  with  snow.  On 
the  10th  of  May,  1888,  the  time  of  mating,  they  were  quite 
common. 

These  birds  usually  build  wherever  a  bunch  of  bushes 
may  be  found,  but  rarely  over  five  hundred  or  six  hundred 
feet  up  the  hillside,  although  I  have  met  examples  on  the 
higher  lands  during  the  mating-season.  I  discovered  eight 
nests  with  eggs  and  young.  Three  of  the  nests  had  the  full 
number  of  eggs  in  May,  the  others  in  June.  The  earliest 
newly-laid  eggs  were  found  on  May  20,  the  latest  on  June 
26.  One  clutch  consisted  of  four  eggs,  another  of  six,  and 
the  remainder  of  five  eggs  or  young. 

These  nests  were  in  willow  bushes,  generally  in  the  low- 
est branches,  close  to  the  ground,  and  never  higher  than 
three  and  one*  half  feet.  An  exception  was  a  nest  built 
upon  one  of  the  seats  in  an  old  boat  which  lay  beside  a 
thoroughfave  within  the  town  of  Ivigtut.  On  the  26th  of 
June  there  were  four  eggs  in  the  nest,  and  on  the  4th  of 
July  there  were,  I  believe,  young  in  the  nest,  but  I  am  not 


BIRDS  OF  1VIGTUT.  31 

quite  sure,  for  the  old  bird  would  not  stir  from  the  nest, 
although  I  touched  it,  and  I  had  not  the  heart  to  drive  it 
away  by  force.  But  the  youug  escaped  all  harm,  as  far  as 
I  know,  so  long  as  they  remained  in  the  nest,  although  it 
was  often  visited  by  people  passing. 

I  was  told  that  a  short  time  before  a  pair  of  Redpolls  had 
for  two  years  in  succession  hatched  their  young  in  a  bird- 
cage that  hung  outside  a  building  about  nine  feet  from  the 
ground,  the  wires  being  so  far  apart  as  to  permit  the  birds 
passing  between  them. 

The  nests  which  I  found  were  made  chiefly  of  dried  grass 
and  roots,  the  inside  being  lined  with  white  plant-wool,  and 
often  with  a  few  Ptarmigan  feathers,  so  that  it  looked 
altogether  white. 

At  the  end  of  June,  when  the  willows  are  in  leaf,  the 
young  forsake  their  nests.  During  July  and  August  and 
the  first  half  of  September,  both  old  and  young  used  to 
come  about  the  houses,  gathering  in  flocks  on  the  refuse 
heaps  outside  the  brewery,  and,  if  then  a  cage  with  a  decoy 
bird  was  placed  near  them,  they  were  easily  caught  in  a  net. 
Some  were  caught  as  they  flew  into  the  houses  hunting  for 
relatives  already  captured.  Within  a  few  days  I  caught  in 
a  net  as  many  as  twenty.  They  were  easily  tamed,  and 
often  ate  from  the  hand,  even  on  the  first  day  of  their 
captivity. 

Once  I  gave  some  their  liberty,  after  keeping  them  four- 
teen days  as  prisoners ;  but  they  returned  to  the  cage  after 
a  few  hours'  or  a  day's  absence ;  and  when  I  let  them  fly 
about  the  room  to  catch  flies,  I  could  lure  them  to  sit  on 
my  hand  by  holding  out  a  bit  of  hemp  to  them.  I  fed  them 
chiefly  on  groats  steeped  in  water. 

When  caged  they  became  a  little  quarrelsome,  especially 
the  red-breasted  males,  obliging  me  to  separate  one  of  these 


30  BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT. 

from  the  rest  for  fear  of  his  injuring,  or  perhaps  killing 
them.  They  are  usually  sociable,  even  during  the  nesting- 
season. 

When  a  flock  is  approached  one  sounds  a  note  of  warning, 
which  generally  attracts  a  dozen  who  call  out  like  the  first, 
though  they  soon  fall  to  singing  and  teasing  one  another, 
showing  but  little  fear  of  the  disturber,  and  often  flying  or 
hopping  within  six  feet  of  him.  Then,  all  of  a  sudden,  some 
one  calls  "  time,"  and  in  a  wink  they  are  away.  They  are 
always  restless,  —  always  on  the  go.  During  the  summer 
they  live  to  a  great  extent  on  insects,  and  one  which  I  shot 
on  the  2d  of  July  had  its  cesophagus  full  of  small  flies. 

Their  song,  which  they  deliver  both  when  flying  and  perch- 
ing, is  but  ordinary,  and  consists  mostly  of  trills,  reminding 
one  of  the  song  of  Fringilla  chloris. 

I  tried  to  examine  their  various  garbs  and  moulting,  both 
on  some  thirty  captured  birds  and  on  wild  ones,  but  have 
not  yet  come  to  any  final  conclusion  in  that  matter.  During 
the  winter,  from  the  close  of  November  to  May,  I  did  not 
keep  any  birds  captive,  and  my  identification  of  the  sexes 
was  based  chiefly  on  difference  of  voice  and  color. 

Their  usual  summer  garb,  worn  during  the  hatching-season, 
and  until  the  beginning  of  July,  is  a  uniform  dark-gray  one 
on  the  back,  the  sides  gray  with  white  stripes,  a  blackish 
fleck  on  the  throat,  a  blackish  bill,  and  a  crown  of  crimson. 
About  seven  per  cent  are  tinged  with  a  rosy  color  on  the 
upper  tail-coverts,  and  especially  on  the  breast.  A  few  had 
also  a  reddish  tint  on  the  malar  region,  though  otherwise 
darker  colored.  The  males  which  I  saw  at  the  nests  had 
red  crests,  but  were  nowhere  else  red-colored. 

The  moulting  begins  in  July  or  August,  and  then  the 
birds  lose  all  this  red  color,  even  the  brightest-colored 
males.     In  the  autumn  dress,  which  they  then  obtain,  they 


BIRDS   OF  IVIGTUT.  33 

are  of  a  much  lighter  color  and  display  more  yellow,  —  not, 
indeed,  that  the  feathers  are  of  a  uniform  yellow  on  the 
back,  but  they  are  variegated  with  lighter  and  darker  streaks 
of  yellowish-brown.  The  greater  coverts  form  a  broader, 
the  lesser  coverts  a  narrower  flaxen-colored  stripe.  The 
wing-feathers  are  light-colored  on  the  edges ;  the  sides  of 
the  body  speckled  brown  ;  the  under  side  a  light  yellowish- 
gray  ;  the  throat-fleck  blackish ;  the  crown  bronze.  This 
was  the  plumage  of  ten  old  birds,  which  I  caught  either  in 
full  summer  garb,  or  immediately  after  the  moulting  had 
begun. 

One  bright-colored  male,  which  I  caught  on  the  16th  of 
July,  had  already  begun  to  moult  on  the  crown ;  only  a 
third  part  of  it  remained  red,  while  the  rest  was  of  a  bronze 
color.  The  moulting  was  so  slow  that  in  November  it  had 
still  some  red  left  in  its  crown,  and  the  only  thing  it  had 
yet  obtained  of  the  autumn  dress  was  the  light-colored 
stripes  on  the  wings,  and  on  some  of  its  flight  feathers;  but 
it  still  retained  its  dark  color  on  the  breast.  Its  dress  looked, 
however,  somewhat  worn  and  faded,  compared  with  the  colors 
of  its  companions.  When  caught,  it  seemed  as  if  a  portion 
of  the  bill  was  about  to  fall  off ;  for  it  was  partly  covered 
with  a  rough  horny  mass  of  a  darker  color.  After  a  couple 
of  days  this  horny  mass  had  disappeared,  but  I  could  not 
find  it  in  the  cage.  The  bill  was  then  somewhat  lighter 
colored,  and  somewhat  weaker  than  the  bills  of  the  other 
Redpolls ;  it  was  hardly  strong  enough  to  break  a  hemp 
seed.  This  circumstance,  as  well  as  the  slow  moulting,  in- 
dicates perhaps  that  the  bird  was  sick,  although  it  seemed 
in  other  respects  quite  as  lively  as  the  rest. 

Another  pretty  red-breasted  male,  caught  on  June  20, 
moulted  in  July,  and  obtained  the  usual  autumn  dress  with 
its  yellow  crown.     Just  after  the  young  birds  have  left  their 

5 


34  BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT. 

nests,  they  are  of  a  somewhat  dark  gray  color  on  the  back 
but  light  gray  on  the  under  side,  with  many  longish  and 
dark  colored  stripes,  but  no  dark  fleck  on  the  throat.  They 
moult  at  the  same  time  as  the  old  birds,  In  July  and  August, 
and  attain  the  usual  autumn  dress  in  every  detail,  with  this 
difference  in  some  of  them,  however,  that  the  crown  becomes 
quite  dark-red,  or  copper-colored,  with  far  less  metallic  lustre 
than  that  of  the  old  birds  during  the  summer. 

Those  birds  which  I  have  caught  in  the  fall  after  the 
moulting  have,  as  a  rule,  been  rather  lighter  colored  and 
more  yellowish  than  those  that  moulted  in  captivity,  and 
have,  besides,  had  a  more  lustrous  bronze  or  copper-colored 
crown. 

From  the  following  noted  circumstance  it  would  appear 
that  some  birds  keep  their  autumn  dress  during  the  whole 
summer,  and  presumably  also  during  the  mating  and  nest- 
ing season.  On  the  17th  of  May,  1886,  I  saw  among  the 
newly  arrived  birds,  all  of  which  had  a  red  crown,  one  or 
two  birds  which  had  no  red  on  the  crown,  but  had  a  darker 
colored  head,  and  a  faintly  red-speckled  breast.  I  also 
caught  two  birds  in  full  autumn  dress  with  yellowish- 
bronze  colored  crowns,  one  on  the  1st  of  July,  the  other 
on  the  23d  of  May.  This  last  was  a  male,  a  great  and  good 
singer,  and  very  attentive  to  the  females  who  were  his  im- 
prisoned companions.  These  two  birds  did  not  moult  dur- 
ing the  whole  summer. 

My  observations  on  the  moulting  of  these  birds  in  cap- 
tivity convinced  me  that  all  old  birds,  from  the  brightest- 
colored  male  to  the  dullest-colored  female,  lose  their  red 
color  completely  during  the  autumn  moulting  (or  it  might 
be  called  the  summer  moulting),  and  then  quite  resemble 
the  young  as  they  appear  after  their  first  moult,  excepting 
that  some  of  the  latter  get  a  copper-colored  crown.     Never- 


BIRDS   OF   IVIUTUT.  35 

theless  I  have  seen  in  autumn  and  winter  birds  that  had, 
besides  reddish  crowns,  pale  red  or  pink  colored  breasts,  and 
were  otherwise  in  common  autumn  dress. 

It  might  be  supposed  either  that  these  birds  have  obtained 
the  red  color  after  moulting,  or  that  some  of  my  captive 
birds,  on  account  of  their  captivity,  as  well  as  the  change  of 
food  (I  fed  them  chiefly  on  barley-meal  and  hemp-seed), 
obtained  a  different  color  from  what  they  would  have  borne 
had  they  been  free.  I  may  add  that  the  birds  I  saw  in  win- 
ter seemed  to  me  rather  lighter  than  those  I  had  seen  during 
the  autumn. 

[It  is  well  known  that  many  birds  do  not  resume  their 

brightest  colors  after  moulting  when  in  captivity.  —  M.  C] 
HOUSE   SPARROW/ 

PASSER   DOMESTICTJS. 

A  few  of  these  Sparrows  were  introduced  here  some  years 
ago.  During  the  first  few  winters  they  fed  on  oats;  and 
in  the  summer  laid  their  eggs  in  boxes  placed  outside  the 
houses.  On  my  arrival  in  1886  there  were  only  five  males 
left,  and  in  1888  only  two,  so  there  seems  no  immediate 
danger  of  Greenland  being  overrun  with  Sparrows,  as  has 
been  the  fate  of  the  United  States  and  Canada. 

What  has  acted  so  injuriously  upon  the  Sparrows  here  is 
—  so  I  believe  —  not  so  much  the  severe  cold,  as  the  long- 
continued  storms  of  cold  wind,  accompanied  by  snow  and 
rain. 

SNOWFLAKE. 

PLECTROPHENAX   NIVALIS. 

This  merry  songster  is  abundant  in  summer,  but  I  have 
never  seen  it  in  winter,  —  neither  in  the  valleys  nor  on  the 


■J6  IBIKDS   OF  IV1GTUT. 

highlands,  where,  according  to  Holboll,  a  great  number  pass 
the  winter. 

In  1886,  when  I  arrived,  it  was  common  on  the  22d  of 
April,  and  loud  in  its  songs.  On  the  15th  of  October  the 
greater  number  had  left  Ivigtut ;  the  last  were  seen  on  the 
25th  of  October. 

In  1887,  the  first,  a  single  one,  was  seen  on  the  80th  of 
March,  then  one  on  April  3,  and  five  or  six  on  the  following 
day.  On  April  8,  a  flock  of  twenty  to  thirty  was  seen,  and 
a  week  later  single  individuals  were  observed  ;  but  they  were 
not  common  until  April  23.  The  last  were  seen  on  the  17th 
of  October. 

In  1888  the  first,  a  single  one,  was  seen  on  the  5th  of 
April ;  on  the  7th  and  the  following  days  a  number  were 
observed  ;  and  from  the  13th  of  April  on,  they  were  common. 
On  the  5th  of  May  a  flock  of  about  forty  was  seen  among 
the  bushes  in  the  valley,  where  they  have  not  been  seen  at 
other  times.    On  the  15th  of  October  they  were  still  common. 

I  have  found  six  nests  with  eggs  or  young,  always  six  in 
each.  The  earliest  eggs  were  found  on  the  26th  of  May, 
the  last  on  June  the  14th.  The  nests  were  generally  at  an 
elevation  of  fifty  to  three  hundred  feet  above  sea-level ;  but 
1  have  also  found  the  birds,  though  rarely,  during  the  hatch- 
ing-season, as  high  as  two  thousand  feet  in  the  uplands. 

Their  favored  hatching-places  are  the  mountain  slopes, 
where  numerous  stone-heaps  afford  them  a  convenient  place 
for  nestrbuilding.  On  one  occasion  I  noticed  a  male  coming 
about  every  five  minutes  to  a  bright  sunny  spot,  where  it 
caught  a  few  blue-bottles,  and  then  flew  away  in  a  definite 
direction.  By  following  it,  I  found  about  fifteen  hundred 
feet  distant  a  nest  with  some  half-grown  young. 

All  the  nests  I  saw  were  built  between  stones,  sometimes 
far  in  among  the  heaps,  and  occasionally  I  was  obliged  to 


BIRDS  OF  IVIGTUT.  37 

roll  several  large  stones  away  in  order  to  get  at  the  nests. 
One  nest  had  been  used  for  one  or  more  years  previously. 
It  was  very  large,  and  the  outside  consisted  of  a  mass  of 
damp  moss  and  portions  of  plants,  as  well  as  some  feathers. 
Within  this  came  a  layer  half  an  inch  thick,  made  of  straw 
and  a  few  tufts  of  fox-hair;  but  the  innermost  part  consisted 
of  white  Ptarmigan  feathers,  one  Raven's  feather,  and  a  few 
fox-hairs. 

The  males  were  usually  very  anxious  about  their  nests, 
and  often  uttered  an  agreeable  and  clear  but  melancholy 
note  ;  but  the  mothers  were  generally  very  trustful,  and 
often  flew  with  insects  into  their  nests  while  I  stood  by  and 
looked  on. 

During  the  hatching-season,  they  live  in  pairs  for  a  couple 
of  weeks  before  they  lay  their  eggs.  In  July  and  August 
the  young  are  often  seen  in  flocks  about  the  houses. 

It  is  chiefly  in  April,  while  the  country  is  still  covered 
with  snow,  that  their  glorious  song  is  most  appreciated.  It 
consists  of  loud  and  clear  flute-notes  combined  into  short 
stanzas,  but  has  no  definite  melody.  The  birds  sing  fre- 
quently while  sitting  on  an  elevation,  but  seldom  on  the 
wing. 

LAPLAND   LONG-SPUR. 

CALCABIUS   LAPPONICUS. 

The  least  common  of  our  songsters.  In  1886  it  was  first 
seen  May  24.  In  1887  the  first  was  seen  on  May  22  ;  the 
last  on  August  30.  In  1888  the  first  was  seen  on  May  20, 
and  the  birds  were  common  on  the  23d  of  May.  The  last 
was  seen  on  the  30th  of  August. 

It  is  only  found  in  damp  places  covered  with  grass  and 
scattered  bushes ;  and  I  never  observed  it  higher  than  two 
hundred  feet  above  sea-level. 


BIRDS   OF   IVIGTUT. 

In  the  Ivigtut  valley,  which  is  about  one  third  of  an  Eng- 
lish square  mile  in  area,  there  hatched  about  eight  to  ten 
pair  in  1886,  and  in  1887,  and  in  the  following  year  about 
twice  as  many.  In  numbers  it  bears  the  following  ratio 
to  our  other  small  birds  :  one  to  five  of  Saxicola  oenanthe  ; 
one  to  twenty,  Plectrophenax  nivalis  ;  one  to  thirty,  A canthis 
linaria. 

On  the  16th  of  June,  1887,  I  chanced  to  find  a  nest  (as 
the  mother  flew  away),  located  deep  down  in  the  moss  at 
the  foot  of  a  willow  bush.  On  the  outside  it  was  made  of 
stalks  of  herbs  and  of  roots,  while  the  inside  was  made  of 
white  Ptarmigan  feathers.  It  contained  seven  fresh-laid 
eggs.  On  the  3d  of  July  my  dog  caught  a  chick,  that  was 
still  scarcely  able  to  fly. 

The  parents  are  exceedingly  anxious  about  their  nests, 
and  one  can  hear  the  male  bird's  sweet  but  sad  tloo,  and 
other  notes  of  alarm,  even  while  several  hundred  feet  away. 

The  song,  which  sounds  best  while  the  birds  descend 
slowly  and  without  flapping  of  wings  from  on  high,  is  but 
short,  and  of  an  extremely  melancholy  nature,  but  contains 
very  pretty  warbling  runs,  which  are  always  repeated  'in  the 
same  order,  and  in  a  comparatively  slow  time.  It  does  not 
sing  very  often. 

WHEATEAR. 
SAXICOLA   CENANTHE. 

Is  common,  and  builds  its  nest  in  all  suitable  places.  In 
1886  the  first  was  observed  on  the  5th  of  May,  and  the  last 
were  seen  on  the  5th  of  October,  none  having  been  noticed 
for  several  weeks  previous.  In  1887  the  first  were  seen  on 
the  12th  of  May,  —  and  the  males  sang  cheerfully,  —  though 
on  the  previous  day  I  had  looked  for  them  in  vain.  The 
last  were  seen  on  the  25th  of  September.     In  1888  the  first 


BIRDS  OF   IVIGTUT.  39 

was  seen  on  the  16th  of  May,  the  last  on  the  23d  of 
September. 

It  builds  its  nest  in  similar  places  to  the  Snow  Bunting,  at 
a  depth  of  six  inches  to  four  feet,  or  even  more.  I  have 
found  several  nests  at  an  elevation  ranging  from  three  feet 
to  seven  hundred  above  sea-level,  and  with  six,  seven,  or 
eight  eggs.  The  first-laid  eggs  were  found  June  3;  the 
latest  date  was  June  28. 

The  nests  contain,  on  the  average,  one  egg  more  than 
those  found  in  Denmark.  One  pair  utilized  the  same  nest 
for  two  successive  years.  It  was  built  in  the  stone  wall 
which  surrounded  the  powder-magazine.  During  the  hatch- 
ing-season I  have  seen  them  in  pairs  at  a  height  of  twelve 
hundred  feet  on  the  highlands. 

This  bird  seems  to  have  learned  one  tune  from  the  Snow 
Bunting,  for  at  the  nests  both  males  and  females  may  be 
heard  to  whistle  a  tune  which  can  hardly  be  distinguished 
from  that  of  the  Snow  Bunting  on  similar  occasions ;  but  I 
have  never  heard  the  Danish  Wheatears  whistle  that  tune. 

[It  is  probable  that  the  Greenland  Wheatear  is  sufficiently 
distinct  to  merit  varietal  rank. 

Besides  the  difference  in  habits  noted  by  the  present 
author,  we  have  the  report  of  Mr.  Howard  Saunders  that 
the  Greenland  birds  have  been  observed  to  perch  on  trees 
much  more  than  is  the  habit  of  the  English-bred  birds;  and 
several  writers  have  recorded  the  opinion  that  specimens 
from  Greenland  averaged  a  larger  size  than  those  taken  in 
Europe.  —  M.  C] 


CATALOGUE 

OF 

THE   BIRDS  OF  GREENLAND. 


HPHE  following  Catalogue  is  based  on  the  works  of  Hol- 
boll,  Reinhardt,  Alfred  Newton,  Ludwig  Kumlien,  and 
others ;  use  has  also  been  made  of  the  late  Alfred  Benzon's 
collection  of  bird-skins  and  eggs.  By  utilizing  abundant 
material  gathered  by  Benzoii,  who  for  a  number  of  years 
received  eggs  and  skins  of  birds  from  the  various  settle- 
ments in  Greenland,  and  by  adding  thereto  my  own  obser- 
vations, I  am  able  to  present  a  more  complete  record  than 
has  been  given  in  any  list  hitherto  published  on  the  birds  of 
Greenland,  especially  as  regards  their  breeding-seasons.  I 
have  also  been  able  to  add  two  species  which  had  not  been 
discovered  before  in  Greenland. 

The  Catalogue  comprises  all  the  birds  discovered  up  to 
date  in  that  part  of  western  Greenland  which  is  settled  by 
Danes  ;  namely,  the  country  lying  south  of  73°  N.  lat. 
This  is  divided  at  68°  N.  lat.  into  North  Greenland  and 
South  Greenland. 

As  it  is  often  impossible  to  determine  to  what  variety  a 
bird  belongs  by  merely  examining  its  eggs,  and  as  the  eggs 
and  skins  which  Mr.  Benzon  obtained  from  Greenland  were 
collected  chiefly  by  men  who  lacked  ornithological  know- 
ledge, I  have  made  it  a  rule,  in  using  his  material,  to  pay  no 

0 


4-2  CATALOGUE   OF 

heed  whatever  to  the  statements  made  in  the  Catalogue  re- 
garding eggs,  unless  these  have  also  been  identified  by  other 
naturalists.  Thus,  for  example,  the  following  is  entered  in 
the  Benzon  Catalogue:  — 

Eggs  of  Una  troile  (two  eggs  from  Julianeshaab)  ;  Gavia 
alba  (one  egg  from  Greenland  —  Holboll)  ;  Ay  thy  a  marila 
(one  hatch  of  eggs  from  Christianshaab,  1872)  ;  Chen  hyper- 
borea  (two  hatches  of  eggs  from  Egedesminde,  1875)  ;  Branta 
leucopsis  (one  egg  from  Egedesminde) ;  Numenius  borealis  (?) 
(one  egg  from  Egedesminde,  1865). 

On  the  other  hand,  when  I  have  found  sufficient  data  in 
Benzon's  Catalogue  and  in  my  own  notes  from  Greenland, 
I  have  added  the  dates  when  the  eggs  were  found  first,  and 
when  last. 

I  would  also  note  that  when  a  bird  is  said  to  breed  "  every- 
where,'' I  mean,  of  course,  in  any  suitable  locality. 

I  have  noted  here  only  unpublished  reports  regarding  the 
occurrence  of  the  rarer  birds  in  Greenland,  and  for  further 
information  I  rnust  ask  my  readers  to  consult  the  works  of 
the  authors  named  above. 


1.  HolbolTs   Grebe.     (Colymbus  holbcellii.) 
Occasional  visitor. 

2.  Horned   Grebe.     ( Colymbus  auritus.) 

Occasional  visitor.  Benzon  obtained  the  skin  of  a  young 
bird  taken  at  Godthaab,  1877. 

[Reinhardt  reports  taking  one  example  of  this  species  in 
young  plumage,  and  Newton  states  that  a  "  few  immature 
specimens  have  been  obtained  in  the  southern  part  of  Green- 
land." We  might  expect  to  find  it  breeding  there,  as  eggs 
taken  on  the  Yukon  River  are  in  the  National  Museum  at 


THE   BIRDS   OF   GREENLAND.  43 

Washington,  and  the  birds  have  been  taken  on  the  Lower 
Mackenzie  as  well  as  in  Iceland,  Northern  Norway,  and 
Siberia.  —  M.  C] 

[Note. —  The  Black-throated  Diver  (Urinator  arcticus) 
has  been  taken  in  Parry's  Sound,  Grinnell  Bay,  and  King- 
wah  Fjord,  and  probably  occurs  on  the  Greenland  shore,  but 
there  is  no  evidence  of  it  haying  been  seen  there.  — M.  C] 

3.  Loon.     ( Urinator  imber.) 

A  summer  resident,  rare  in  North  Greenland,  quite  com- 
mon in  the  southern  division,  breeding  throughout  its  range 
up  to  69°  N.  lat.  The  earliest  eggs  laid  on  the  30th  of 
May,  last  found  on  the  10th  of  August. 

[These  dates  suggest  the  possibility  of  two  broods  being 
reared,  though  I  do  not  remember  of  having  seen  this  fact 
recorded.  —  M.  C] 

4.  Red-throated  Loon.    (Urinator  lumme.) 

A  summer  resident ;  breeds  everywhere  throughout  the 
country ;  eggs  found  on  June  10  and  July  25. 

5.  Tufted   Puffin.     (Lunda  cirrhata.) 

An  accidental  visitor. 

[It  may  be  considered  unwise  to  give  this  Pacific-coast 
species  a  place  here,  unless  its  claim  be  supported  by  defi- 
nite testimony  of  undoubted  reliability ;  but  it  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  Pastor  Moschler  alleged  to  have  received 
skins  from  Greenland,  and  that  Audubon  states  that  he  shot 
on  the  Kennebec  River  the  specimen  he  figured.  Professor 
Newton  omitted  the  name  from  his  list  of  Greenland  birds, 
thinking  Moschler  made  a  mistake  in  referring  his  examples 


44  CATALOGUE   OF 

to  this  species.  The  name  appeared  in  my  "  Catalogue 
of  the  Birds  of  New  Brunswick  "  on  the  authority  of  Mr. 
Boardman,  who  has  lately  informed  me  that  he  was  mis- 
taken in  the  identification.  —  M.  C] 

6.  Puffin.     (Fratercula  arctica.) 

Breeds  sparingly  along  the  whole  coast,  though  more  fre- 
quent in  the  northern  than  in  the  southern  division.  Eggs 
found  on  June  1  and  June  10.  Reinhardt  states  that  only 
one  form  of  Fratercula  occurs  in  Greenland,  and  he  believes 
that  it  is  arctica,  —  the  common  European  Puffin. 

[The  variety  named  glacialis  by  Leach  has  been  omitted, 
though  this  is  either  a  Greenland  bird  or  it  is  a  myth,  as 
Leach's  type  came  from  that  country.  Cassin  reported  see- 
ing specimens  from  Greenland,  and  Howard  Saunders  con- 
siders it  plentiful  on  the  coast,  up  to  the  70th  parallel. 
Professor  Newton  found  this  form  at  Spitzbergen  in  com- 
pany with  true  arctica.  Mr.  Ridgway  states  that  the 
two  appear  to  differ  only  in  size,  glacialis  being  the 
larger.  —  M.  C] 

7.  Black   Guillemot.     (Cepphus  grille.) 

Resident,  common,  breeding  everywhere.  Eggs  laid  from 
June  10  to  July  25. 

[Note.  — It  is  probable  that  Mandt's  Guillemot  {Cepphus 
Mandtii)  occurs  in  Greenland.  —  M.  C] 

8.  Murre.     (Uria  troile.) 

Rare ;  probably  breeds  in  small  numbers. 

9.  Brunnich's  Murre.     {Uria  lomvia.) 

Resident ;  breeds  in  great  numbers  north  of  64°,  and  prob- 
ably to  the  southward  of  that  line.     During  winter  it  is 


THE  BIRDS   OF   GREENLAND.  45 

found  in  great  numbers  in  South  Greenland.     Eggs  were 
taken  on  June  15. 


10.  Razor-billed  Auk.     (Alca  torda.) 

A  summer  resident,  not  uncommon  either  in  North  Green- 
land or  South  Greenland,  and  breeds  along  the  whole  coast. 
Eggs  were  taken  June  2  and  June  30. 

11.  Great   Auk.     (Plautus  impennis.) 
Formerly  occurred  in  Greenland,  —  now  extinct. 

12.  Dovekie.     (Alle  alle.) 

Breeds  in  North  Greenland,  its  most  southerly  nesting- 
place  being  near  Egedesminde  in  about  69°  N.  lat.  During 
winter  it  is  often  very  numerous  in  South  Greenland. 

13.  Skua.     (Megalestris  skua.) 

Occasionally  seen  along  the  shore  of  South  Greenland. 

14.  Pomarine  Jaeger.      (Stercorarius  pomarinus.) 

A  summer  visitor,  nesting  between  64°  and  73°  N.  lat., 
and  is  the  most  common  Jaeger  of  North  Greenland. 

15.  .  Parasitic    Jaeger.      (Stercorarius  parasiticus.) 

A  summer  resident,  nesting  quite  commonly  in  South 
Greenland,  even  up  to  69°  N.  lat.  Eggs  were  taken  from 
June  4  to  July  25. 

16.  Long-tailed   Jaeger.     (Stercorarius  longicaudus.) 
Breeds  somewhat  rarely  and  only  north  of  62 \°  N.  lat. 


46  CATALOGUE  OF 

17.  Ivory   Gull.     (Gavia  alba.) 

Not  uncommon,  but  certainly  does  not  breed  within  the 
settled  parts  of  the  country. 

18.  Kittiwake.     (Rissa  tridactyla.) 

A  summer  resident,  common  all  over  Greenland,  and 
breeding  in  great  numbers,  especially  in  the  southern  divi- 
sion.    Eggs  were  taken  on  June  3  and  June  18. 

19.  Glaucous   Gull.     (Larus  glaucus.) 

Very  common  ;  breeds  in  all  suitable  localities.  Many 
remain  over  winter,  especially  young  birds.  Eggs  were 
taken  from  May  10  to  June  14. 

20.  Iceland  Gull.     (Larus  leucopterus.) 

Breeds  everywhere  in  Greenland,  but  most  abundantly  in 
the  southern  part,  where  it  is  extremely  numerous.  A  few, 
chiefly  young  birds,  remain  in  South  Greenland  over  winter. 
Eggs  laid  from  May  14  to  June  10. 

[Note. — As  Kumlien's  Gull  (Larus  kumlieni)  has  been 
found  breeding  on  Cumberland  Bay,  it  doubtless  occurs  on 
the  western  coast  of  Greenland.  —  M.  C] 

21.  Great  Black-backed  Gull.    (Larus  marinus.) 

A  resident,  common,  especially  along  the  shores  of  Central 
Greenland.     Eggs  laid  from  May  3  to  June  15. 

22.  Siberian   Gull.     (Larus  affinis.) 
A  chance  visitor. 


THE   BIRDS   OF  GREENLAND.  ,    47 

23.  Herring    G-ull.      (Larus  argentatus.) 
A  chance  visitor  in  South  Greenland. 

24.  Ross's    Gull.     (Rhodostethia  rosea.) 

An  occasional  visitor. 

[Mr.  Howard  Saunders  states  that  only  six  specimens  ot 
this  rarest  of  the  Gulls  are  known  to  have  been  captured  in 
Greenland.  —  M.  C] 

25.  Sabine's    Gull.     (Xema  sabinii.) 

Somewhat  rare.  Benzon  obtained  nine  skins  from  various 
districts  of  Greenland,  taken  from  latitude  64°  to  the  most 
northerly  settlement. 

26.  Common   Tern.     {Sterna  hirundo.) 

A  summer  resident,  breeding  in  both  North  and  South, 
Greenland. 

27.  Arctic    Tern.     (Sterna  paradiscea.) 

[This  Tern  occurs  in  great  abundance  on  both  shores 
of  Greenland,  and  has  been  found  breeding  as  far  north 
as  82°  34'.  Captain  Fielden  reports  finding  a  pair  of 
young  birds  nearly  ready  for  flight,  early  in  August,  in  lat. 
81°  50'.  — M.  C] 

28.  Fulmar.     (Fulmarus  glacialis.) 

29.  Lesser  Fulmar.      (Fulmarus  glacialis  minor.) 

Reinhardt  mentions  both  forms  of  Fulmar  among  the 
birds  of  Greenland.  Probably  it  is  F.  glacialis  that  is 
found  chiefly  off  the  south  coast ;  while  F.  glacialis  minor 
breeds  in  vast  numbers  north  of  the  69th  parallel.     This 


48  CATALOGUE   OF 

seems  to  be  supported  by  the  fact  that  eggs  collected  in 
North  Greenland  are  smaller  than  those  from  Iceland, — 
the  former  measuring  68  by  48  mm.,  the  latter  77  by 
51  mm. 

[Kumlien  reports  finding  Fulmars  breeding  in  myriads 
at  Ovifak,  in  Greenland,  and  this  is  confirmed  by  other 
observers.  These  breeding  birds  may,  however,  be  of  the 
smaller  race,  as  suggested  by  the  present  author.  —  M.  C] 

30.  Gray  Shearwater.    (Puffinis  kuhlii.) 

A  occasional  visitor. 

[Kumlien  reported  finding  this  bird  in  Grinnell  Bay,  but 
the  correctness  of  the  report  was  questioned,  and  the  name 
was  placed  on  the  u hypothetical  list"  by  the  A.  0.  U. 
Committee,  on  the  ground  that  no  example  of  the  species 
had  been  taken  on  the  Western  side  of  the  Atlantic.  Its 
usual  habitat  is  south  of  40°,  being  especially  abundant 
in  the  Mediterranean  ;  but  Professor  Newton  states  that 
Moschler  received  a  specimen  from  Greenland,  which  is  now 
in  the  Leyden  Museum.  Saunders  considers  the  species 
identical  with  P.  borealis  of  Cory.  —  M.  C.] 

31.  Greater  Shearwater.    (Piiffinus  major.) 

Numerous  about  the  coasts  of  South  Greenland,  up  to  65  J ° 
N.  lat.     Probably  breeds. 

32.  Manx  Shearwater.     (Puffinus  pvffinus.) 

An  occasional  visitor.  Mr.  Benzon  had  the  skin  of  an 
albino  from  Umanak,  1872.     (E.  Fencker.) 

33.  Bulwer's   Petrel.     (Bulweria  bulweri.) 
An  occasional  visitor. 


THE   BIRDS   OF   GREENLAND.  49 

34.  Stormy    Petrel.     (Procellaria  pelagica.) 
An  occasional  visitor. 

35.  Leach's    Petrel.      ( Oceanodroma  leucorhoa.) 

Quite  common  along  the  South  Greenland  coast,  as  far 
north  as  65°  N.  lat.,  and  perhaps  breeds  there.  It  is  occa- 
sionally found  in  Disco  Bay. 

36.  Gannet.      (Sula  bassana.) 
An  occasional  visitor. 

37.  Cormorant.      (Phalacrocorax  carbo.) 

A  resident,  breeding  along  the  whole  coast,  but  most 
numerous  in  Nortli  Greenland.  Eggs  were  found  from 
April  28  to  July  25. 

38.  Red-breasted    Merganser.      (Merganser  serrator.) 

In  part  a  resident ;  breeds  quite  generally  in  both  North 
and  South  Greenland.  Three  sets  of  eggs  were  taken  on 
July  25. 

39.  Mallard.     (Anas  boschas.) 

A  common  resident,  and  breeding.  Eggs  laid  from  May 
26  to  June  29. 

40.  Widgeon.      (Anas  penelope.) 

An  occasional  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

41.  European  Teal.     (A?ws  crecca.) 
An  occasional  visitor. 

42.  Green-winged  Teal.     (Anas  carolinensis.) 
An  occasional  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

7 


50  CATALOGUE  OF 

43.  Pintail.     (Dajila  acuta.) 
Rather  rare. 

[Perhaps  "  uncommon  "  would  more  accurately  express 
the  relative  abundance  of  this  species.  Dr.  Walker  found 
it  at  Godthaab,  and  Professor  Reinhardt  met  with  it  in  both 
North  and  South  Greenland.  — M.  C] 

44.  American   Scaup    Duck.      (Aythya  marila  neurotica.) 

A  rare  visitor,  occurring  in  both  North  and  South 
Greenland. 

45.  Lesser  Scaup  Duck.    {Aythya  affinis.) 
Very  rare  ;  may  possibly  breed. 

46.  Barrow's  Golden-eye.     ( Glaucionetta  islandica.) 
Breeds  in  small  numbers  as  far  north  as  69°  or  70°. 

47.  Buffle-head.     (Oharitonetta  albeola.) 
A  rare  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

48.  Old-squaw.     ( Clangula  hyemalis.) 

A  resident ;  usually  breeds  all  along  the  coast ;  abundant 
during  the  winter  in  South  Greenland.  Eggs  taken  from 
June  1  to  June  20. 

49.  Harlequin   Duck.     (Histrionicus  histrionicus.) 

A  summer  resident,  breeding  quite  commonly  as  far  north 
as  the  69th  parallel. 

50.  Steller's  Duck.      (Eniconetta  stelleri.) 

An  adult  male  was  shot  in  Disco  Bay,  North  Greenland, 
in  1878 ;  the  skin  is  now  in  Mr.  E.  Fencker's  collection. 


THE   BIRDS   OF   GREENLAND.  51 

51.  Northern    Eider.      (Somateria  mollissima  borealis.) 

A  resident,  breeding  in  very  great  numbers  everywhere. 
Eggs  were  found  from  June  6  to  July  28. 

52.  Pacific    Eider.     (Somateria  v-nigra.  ) 

Holboll  sometimes  obtained  Eider  Ducks  of  both  sexes 
which  he  believed  to  be  a  cross  between  S.  mollissima  and 
S.  spectabilis.  "  The  bills  of  the  females  resembled  those 
of  both  species."  He  also  obtained  "  males  of  S.  mollissima, 
having  on  the  neck  the  lancet-shaped  figure  which  distin- 
guishes S.  spectabilis"     They  probably  were  S.  v-nigra. 

[As  there  is  no  record  of  this  species  having  been  taken 
farther  to  the  eastward  than  Great  Slave  Lake,  the  in- 
sertion of  the  name  here  is  open  to  criticism.  In  my 
opinion  Holboll' s  supposition  has  more  probability  than 
Mr.  Hagerup's.  —  M.  C] 

53.  King   Eider.     (Somateria  spectabilis.) 

Breeds  sparingly  between  67°  and  73° ;  but  north  of  73° 
it  is  more  numerous.  In  winter  it  is  very  common  in  South 
Greenland.     Eggs  laid  from  June  20  to  July  1. 

In  Benzon's  Catalogue  there  is  an  entry  of  two  nests  with 
eggs  received  from  Julianeshaab,  close  to  Greenland's  south- 
ern extremity,  but  probably  the  names  mollissima  and  spec- 
tabilis have  become  interchanged. 

[I  think  Benzon's  note  should  not  be  thus  discredited. 
We  might  expect  to  find  spectabilis  breeding  at  Julianes- 
haab, for  nests  have  been  taken  much  farther  to  the  south- 
ward.—  M.  C] 

54.  Velvet  Scoter.    (Oidemia fusca.) 
A  chance  visitor. 


52  CATALOGUE   OF 

55.  Surf   Scoter.     (Oidemia perspicillata.) 

Rare.  Benzon  had  one  skin  from  Julianeshaab  in  1878, 
and  in  the  same  year  one  skin  from  Eginiarfik,  in  68£° 
N.  lat. 

56.  Greater    Snow    Goose.      (Chen  kyperborea  nivalis.) 

Quite  rare,  especially  adult  birds.  Herr  V.  Muller,  of 
Ivigtut,  has  informed  me  that  in  the  month  of  June, 
1884  (?),  some  Greenlanders  near  Proven  (in  72°  N.  lat.) 
where  he  then  lived,  brought  him  a  pair  of  adult  Snow 
Geese  just  captured.  These  birds  were  later  secured  by 
Gov.  E.  Fencker,  who  added  them  to  his  collection.  It 
seems,  therefore,  not  improbable  that  this  bird  breeds  in 
Greenland. 

57.  "White-fronted  Goose.     (Anser  albifrons.) 

Breeds  quite  commonly  between  66°  and  72°.  Eggs  were 
found  on  June  7  and  June  24. 

58.  Hutchins's    Goose.     (Branta  canadensis  hutchinsii.) 
An  occasional  visitor. 

59.  Brant.      (Branta  bernicla.) 

Common  as  a  migratory  bird  along  the  whole  coast ; 
breeds  possibly  in  the  northern  part  of  Danish  Greenland. 

60.  Barnacle  Goose.    (Branta  leucopsis.) 

A  regular  autumn  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

[Bernhardt  reported  a  rumor  that  had  reached  him  of 
eggs  of  this  species  being  taken  in  Greenland,  but  this  lacks 
confirmation.  —  M.  C] 


THE   BIRDS   OF   GREENLAND.  53 

61.  Whooping  Swan.    ( Olor  cyynus.) 

Formerly  nested  in  South  Greenland,  but  is  now  only  a 
rare  visitor. 

62.  American  Bittern.     (Botaurus  lentiginosus.) 

An  accidental  visitor  to  North  Greenland. 

[The  claim  of  this  species  to  be  named  here  rests  on  a  report 
of  one  having  been  taken  at  Egedesminde  in  1809. —  M.  C] 

63.  European  Blue  Heron.    (Ardea  cinerea.) 

An  occasional  visitor  in  South  Greenland.  In  Benzon's 
collection  there  was  a  skin  from  Godthaab  taken  January  14, 

1877. 

[Note.  —  There  is  a  record  of  one  specimen  of  the  Little 
Brown  Crane  (G-rus  canadensis)  having  been  taken  at 
Iglooik,  on  Baffin's  Bay.  —  M.  C] 

64.  Spotted    Crake.     {Porzana  porzana.) 

A  rare  visitor  in  South  Greenland.  Benzon's  collection 
contains  a  skin  from  Julianeshaab,  dated  1878. 

65.  Sora.      (Porzana  Carolina.) 

An  accidental  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

66.  Corn  Crake.    (Crex  crex.) 

An  accidental  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

67.  European  Coot.     (Fulica  atra.) 
A  chance  visitor. 


51  CATALOGUE   OF 

68.  American    Coot.     (Fulica  americana.) 
A  chance  visitor. 

69.  Red   Phalarope.     (Chrymophilus  futicarius.) 

^Common,  but  not  often  seen  in  the  breeding-season  south 
of  the  68th  parallel.  The  eggs  were  found  from  June  3  to 
June  28. 

70.  Northern  Phalarope.    (Phalaropus  lobatus.) 
Breeds  quite  generally  along  the  coast. 

71.  European   Snipe.     ( Gallinago  gallinago.) 
Somewhat  uncommon  ;  may  possibly  breed. 

72.  Dowitcher.     (Macrorhamphus  griseus.) 
An  occasional  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

73.  Knot.      (Tringa  canutus.) 

A  summer  resident ;  most  common  in  North  Greenland, 
where  it  breeds. 

74.  Purple   Sandpiper.     (Tringa  maritima.) 

Resident;  breeds  everywhere  along  the  coast.  Eggs 
found  from  May  14  to  July  24. 

75.  Pectoral   Sandpiper.     (Tringa  maculata.) 
A  rare  guest  in  South  Greenland. 

76.  White-rumped  Sandpiper.     (Tringa fuscicollis.) 

Not  uncommon  in  the  most  southerly  part  of  Greenland, 
where  it  probably  breeds. 


THE   BIRDS   OF   GREENLAND.  55 

77.  Least   Sandpiper.     (Tringa  minutilla.) 
An  occasional  visitor  in  North  Greenland. 

78.  Dunlin.     ( Tringa  alpina.) 
Somewhat  rare  ;  possibly  breeds. 

79.  Curlew    Sandpiper.     (Tringa ferruginea.) 

Not  uncommon  in  North  Greenland.     Breeds  at  Chris- 
tianshaab,  69°. 

80.  Sanderling.      ( Calidris  arenaria.) 
Somewhat  rare  ;  breeds  north  of  68°. 

81.  Black-tailed  Godwit.     (Limosa  limosa.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

82.  Yellow-legs.     (Totanus  flavipes.) 
An  accidental  visitor. 

83.  Solitary   Sandpiper.     ( Totanus  solitarius.) 

A  chance  visitor.     Benzon  obtained  the  skin  of  an  old 
bird  from  Kangek  (64°  N.  lat.),  taken  August  1,  1878. 

84.  Hudsonian   Curlew.     (Numenius  hudsonicus.) 
An  accidental  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

85.  Eskimo   Curlew.     (Numenius  borealis.) 
An  accidental  visitor. 

86.  Whimbrel.     (Numenius  phceopus.) 
An  occasional  visitor,  and  may  breed. 

87.  Lapwing.     ( Vanellus  vanellus.) 
An  accidental  visitor. 


56  CATALOGUE  OF 

88.  Black-bellied   Plover.      (Charadrius  squatarola.) 
Rare.     Benzon  obtained  a  skin  from  Greenland  in  1851. 
[Holboll  considered  that  the  number  of  these  birds  was 

increasing  in  Greenland.  —  M.  C] 

89.  Golden  Plover.     (Charadrius  apricarius.) 
A  chance  visitor. 

90.  American  Golden  Plover.     (Charadrius  dominicus.) 
Somewhat  rare  ;  possibly  breeds. 

91.  Ring   Plover.     (jEgialitis  hiatiada.) 

Breeds  along  the  whole  coast,  though  rather  sparsely- 
Eggs  taken  June  14. 

[Kumlien  reports  this  species  "very  common"  about 
Disco  Island.  —  M.  C] 

92.  Turnstone.     (Arenaria  interpres.) 

Somewhat  rare ;  breeds  both  in  North  Greenland  and  in 
South  Greenland. 

93.  Oyster  catcher.     (Hcematopus  ostralegus.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

94.  Reinhardt'S  Ptarmigan.    (Lagopus  rupestris  reinhardti.) 

A  resident ;  breeds  in  large  numbers  everywhere.  Eggs 
laid  from  June  10  to  June  20.  Number  of  eggs  in  a  set, 
6  to  12. 

95.  Gray  Sea  Eagle.     (Baliceetus  albicilla.) 

Resident,  quite  common ;  breeds  everywhere,  but  chiefly 
in  South  Greenland.  Eggs  found  from  April  1  to  -May  17. 
Number  of  eggs  in  set,  1  to  B. 


THE  BIRDS   OF   GREENLAND.  57 

96.  White   Gyrfalcon.     (Falco  islandus.) 

Breeds  in  North  Greenland;  common  during  winter  in 
South  Greenland. 

97.  Gray  Gyrfalcon.     (Falce  rusticolus.) 

Resident ;  common  in  South  Greenland,  where  it  breeds. 
The  exact  limits  of  the  nesting-grounds  of  these  two  forms 
of  Gyrfalcon  cannot,  however,  be  definitely  settled,  as  they 
are  considered  as  one  and  the  same  species.  The  following 
data  applies  equally  to  both :  — 

Eggs  laid  from  April  16  to  May  27.  Number  of  eggs  in 
a  set,  3  to  4. 

98.  Duck   Hawk.      {Falco  pereyrinus  anatwm) 

Not  uncommon ;  breeds  in  both  North  and  South  Green- 
land.    Eggs  found  from  April  13  to  June  15. 

99.  Merlin.      (Falco  regulus.) 

A  chance  visitor  off  the  coast. 

100.  Kestrel.     (Falco  tinnunculus.) 
A  chance  visitor  off  the  coast. 

101.  American   Osprey.     (Pandion  halia'etus  carolinensis.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  North  Greenland. 

102.  Short-eared  Owl.     (Asio  accipitrinus.) 
Somewhat  rare  ;  not  observed  north  of  70°. 

103.  Snowy   Owl.     (Nyctea  nyctea.) 

Fairly  common,  especially  in  North  Greenland,  where  a 
few  pairs  breed. 


58  CATALOGUE   OF 

104.  Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker.     (Sphyrapicus  varius) 
An  accidental  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

105.  Flicker.     ( Colaptes  auratus.) 
An  accidental  visitor. 

106.  Chimney   Swift.     (Chcetura  pelagica.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

107.  Olive-sided  Flycatcher.     (Gontopus  borealis.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

108.  Yellow-bellied  Flycatcher.    {Empidonax  flaviventris.) 
One  taken  at  sea,  off  Cape  Farewell,  September,  1878. 

109.  Little  Flycatcher.     {Empidonax  pusillus.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

110.  Skylark.    (Alauda  arvensis.) 
A  chance  visitor. 

111.  Horned  Lark.    {Otocoris  alpestris.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

112.  Northern    Raven.      ( Corvus  corax  principalis.) 

Resident ;  breeds  in  large  numbers  in  South  Greenland ; 
less  abundant  in  the  northern  division.  Eggs  taken  on 
April  11  and  May  9.     Number  of  eggs  in  set,  3  to  5. 

113.  Starling.     {Sturnus  vulgaris.) 
An  accidental  visitor. 


THE    BIRDS   OF   GREENLAND.  59 

114.  Yellow-headed  Blackbird.      (Xanthocephalus  xan- 

thocephalus.) 

A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

115.  White- winged  Crossbill.     (Loxia  kucoptera.) 
Rare  in  South  Greenland. 

116.  Greenland   Redpoll.     {Acanthis  hornemannii.) 

Resident ;  breeds  quite  commonly  north  of  69°.  In  win- 
ter it  occurs  farther  south. 

117.  Greater    Redpoll.     {Acanthis  linaria  rostrata.) 

A  summer  visitor,  but  is  occasionally  met  with  in  small 
flocks  or  singly  in  winter.  It  is  very  prolific  in  South  Green- 
land, but  less  so  in  North  Greenland.  Eggs  laid  from  May 
20  to  June  27.     Number  of  eggs  in  a  set,  4  to  6. 

118.  Snowflake.      (Plectrophenax  nivalis.) 

Yery  numerous ;  breeds  throughout  the  country.  The 
majority  migrate,  but  a  small  number  remain  over  winter. 
Eggs  laid  from  May  25  to  June  25.  Number  of  eggs  in  a 
set,  5  to  8. 

119.  Lapland  Longspur.     (Calcarius  lapponicus.) 

A  summer  visitor  ;  breeds  anywhere  in  North  Greenland, 
as  well  as  in  the  southern  division  (at  least  as  far  as  70|° 
N.  lat.).  Eggs  laid  from  June  11  to  July  6.  Number  of 
eggs  in  a  set,  5  to  8. 

120.  White-crowned  Sparrow.    (Zonotrichia  leucophrys.) 

Occurs  sparingly  in  South  Greenland ;  may  perhaps  lay 
eggs  there. 


liO  CATALOGUE  OF 

121.  Barn   Swallow.     ( Chelidon  erythrogaster.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

(Note.  —  In  Mr.  Benzon's  Catalogue  there  is  an  entry  of 
a  defective  skin  of  Hirundo  rustica  5  from  Syd  proven  in 
60°  N.  lat.,  taken  June  12,  1882.  But  as  there  is  no  other 
evidence  that  this  European  form  has  been  found  in  Green- 
land, and  as  the  identification  in  this  instance  was  based 
wholly  upon  a  defective  skin,  I  think  it  best  not  to  include 
the  species  among  the  birds  of  Greenland  for  the  present.) 

122.  Red-eyed  Vireo.     (  Vireo  olivaceus.) 
A  chance  visitor. 

123.  Nashville   Warbler.     (Helminthophila  ruficapilla.) 
A  chance  visitor  in  South  Greenland. 

124.  Parula   Warbler.     ( Compsothlypis  americana.) 
A  chance  visitor  in  South  Greenland. 

125.  Myrtle   Warbler.     (Dendroica  coronata.) 
A  chance  visitor. 

126.  Black-poll   Warbler.     (Dendroica  striata.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

127.  Blackburnian  Warbler.     {Dendroica  blachbumue) 

A  young  bird  shot  at  Frederickshaab,  South  Greenland, 
probably  belonged  to  this  kind. 

128.  Black-throated  Green  Warbler.    (Dendroica  virens.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 


THE   BIRDS   OF   GREENLAND.  61 

129.  Mourning    Warbler.     (Geothlypis Philadelphia.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

130.  Canadian   "Warbler.     (Sylvania  canadensis.) 

A  chance  visitor.  Mr.  Benzon  obtained  the  skin  of  a 
young  bird  from  Greenland  in  1875. 

131.  White   "Wagtail.     (Motacilla  alba.) 

A  chance  visitor,  to  both  North  and  South  Greenland. 

132.  American   Pipit.     (Anthus  pensilvanicus.) 

Occurs,  when  migrating,  in  South  Greenland,  and  breeds 
to  some  small  extent  north  of  66°,  50'  N.  lat. 

133.  Meadow   Pipit.      (Anthus  pratensis.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

134.  Long-billed  Marsh  Wren.     (Cistothorus palustris.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

135.  Ruby-crowned   Kinglet.     (Regulus  calendula.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

136.  Gray-cheeked  Thrush.     ( Turdus  alicia.) 

A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland.  Mr.  Benzon  ob- 
tained a  skin  from  Greenland,  taken  August,  1852. 

It  is  possible  that  this  is  the  same  kind  as  Bernhardt  en- 
tered as  Turdus  minor. 

137.  Red-winged  Thrush.     ( Tardus  iliacus.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 


(52  THE    BIRDS   OF   GREENLAND. 

138.  American   Robin.     (Merula  migratoria.) 
A  chance  visitor  to  South  Greenland. 

139.  Wheatear.     (Saxicola  cenanthe.) 

A  summer  resident ;  breeds  everywhere.     Eggs  laid  from 
May  30  to  June  28.     Number  of  eggs  in  a  set,  5  to  8. 


From  the  above  it  will  be  seen  that  the  birds  of  Green- 
land are  drawn  more  from  America  than  from  Europe. 
About  one  half  of  the  different  species  are  merely  chance 
visitors,  and  of  these  only  a  small  number  are  found  in 
North  Greenland. 

[Of  the  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  species  here  enumer- 
ated one  is  extinct  and  fifty-three  are  merely  accidental 
stragglers,  while  twenty-four  others  are  so  rare  that  they 
might  be  classed  with  the  accidentals,  leaving  but  sixty- 
one  species  that  should  be  recognized  as  regular  inhabitants 
of  Greenland ;  and  of  these  several  are  of  quite  uncommon 
occurrence.  —  M.  C] 


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The  birds  of  Greenland. 

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